Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Shown in the picture here are St. James Mill Creek congregational coordinators Allison Jessup and Jennifer Idell, along with Dick Prettyman who has been our point-person for key matters related to the upkeep and enhancements of the Family Promise center. Dick is a DuPont retiree who enjoys his time with family and fly fishing. He has also spent many hours leading the renovation of the Family Promise center before we took occupancy.

Jennifer and Allison have been involved with Family Promise as members of our organizing core team many month before we launched. Jennifer is also on our communications team and set up our Facebook page. Both of them serve on the Vestry at SJMC. When they heard about the opportunity to join Family Promise at a Vestry meeting, Jennifer raised her hand - feeling compelled to do something for those less fortunate. Allison then soon followed, saying she would be glad help however she could. Little did they realize at the time that they would become so involved with serving homelessness through Family Promise!

What impact has Family Promise had on the congregation at SJMC? All three stated that they have had the opportunity to not only serve our families, but get to know and develop deeper friendships with other members of SJMC. It seems that about 40% of the congregation at SJMC is involved in serving during a typical Family Promise week, each person doing their part. Jennifer states: "everybody who served wanted to do it again." An observation about their experience with this second Family Promise rotation: "everything is much more 'laid back' this time around." This is something we have been hearing from a number of congregations as they have worked through the learning curve.

While we didn't catch them this time, we must add that Father James Bimbi and Susan Winward of SJMC were both instrumental in working with us to establish the SJMC Rectory as the site of the Family Promise Center (along with Board member Andy Taylor, also a member of SJMC). Again, thanks to the wonderful people at St. James Mill Creek for your support of Family Promise and the relationship we have developed through the use of the SJMC rectory.